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CODE OF ETHICS OF THE AUCTIONEERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND Inc.

PREAMBLE:
While the activities of Auctioneers are governed by statute, it is, none the less, desirable that Members of the Association recognise the social and moral obligations and responsibilities demanded of them by both the public and their peers. Members should, therefore, be zealous to improve the standards of the profession and should at all times act in such a way as to bring to it both honour and integrity.
 

PART I -RELATIONS BETWEEN MEMBERS
 

ARTICLE I:
Members shall so conduct themselves and their business as to avoid any action which may lead to a dispute with a fellow Member, and they shall ensure that at all times they act in all good conscience with the spirit of this code.
 

ARTICLE 2:
Should any dispute arise between Members, those Members concerned shall make a determined endeavour to settle it between themselves, but should agreement not be reached they shall submit it for settlement by Arbitration. The Arbiter shall be a Member of the Association appointed by agreement between the parties to the dispute and the decision of the arbiter shall be accepted as binding and final.
 

ARTICLE 3:
Should it be alleged that a Member has contravened the Auctioneer's Act or the Code of Ethics, the Member shall place all pertinent facts before the disciplinary committee as provided in the rules of the Association.
 

ARTICLE 4:
No Member shall ever publicly criticise a fellow Member nor shall he express any opinion of any transaction of a fellow Member, unless requested to do so by one of the principals to the transaction, and his opinion then should be rendered in accordance with strict professional courtesy and integrity.
 

ARTICLE 5:
No Member shall, in any public statement or advertisement, make comparison between the services offered by himself and those offered by other Members, nor shall he promote himself or his business as being better in any way than that of other Members, however it shall be proper for a Member to advertise or promote his specialist abilities in any field of auctioneering.
 

ARTICLE 6:
A Member shall never seek nor use information about another Member's transactions for the purposes of becoming involved in the negotiations himself or diverting the parties thereto in any way whatsoever, however nothing in this provision shall preclude a Member from fair competition against another Member in offering his services to the public.
 

ARTICLE 7:
A Member shall not conduct himself in such a manner as to prejudice his professional status or the reputation of the Association, but at all times do his utmost to further the interests of the Association and the dignity of his calling.
A Member shall not permit any person who is not a named seller to conduct Auctions on his behalf except as is provided in the Auctioneers Act of 1928 (Sect. 14, para. 4).
 

ARTICLE 9:
Members must ensure that advertisements and other public announcements are such as will not bring the Association into disrepute.
 

ARTICLE 10:
It is the duty of every Member to become fully conversant with the rules of the Association which must be adhered to at all times.
 

ARTICLE 11:
Members shall ensure that their employees are acquainted with, and observe the provisions of the code of ethics.
 

PART 2- RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC
 

ARTICLE 12:
It is the duty of every Member to have a sound basic knowledge of the law relating to Auctioneers, the law of contract, and the laws relating to those specific classes of goods which they may handle in the course of their business.
 

ARTICLE 13:
Upon his appointment to act as an agent in the disposal of property of the principal, a Member pledges himself to be fair and just to all parties in any subsequent transactions and to promote the interests of his principal as he would his own.
 

ARTICLE 14:
When asked for an opinion as to the value of any property or article or an opinion on any matter related to auctioneering, a Member shall always give a considered answer. His opinion constitutes a professional service and should be rendered only after having ascertained and weighed the facts, and for which he shall be entitled to make a fair charge. No Member shall accept instructions to carry out an appraisal unless he is sufficiently experienced and competent to accept such an assignment.
 

ARTICLE 15:
It is the duty of every Member to respect the confidentiality of his clients, and to this end he shall never disclose to either buyer or seller details of the other without having obtained their prior consent.
 

ARTICLE 16:
It is the duty of every Member to render service with absolute fidelity, to protect the public against unethical practices, and to practice the profession with devotion to the highest ideals of integrity, honour and courtesy.
 

ARTICLE 17:
No instructions or inducements from any client or customer relieve a Member from his responsibility to observe this Code of Ethics.
 

ARTICLE 18:
No statement or submission on behalf of the Association or purporting to be on behalf of the Association shall be made by any Member other than the National President (on matters of National concern) or the regional Vice Presidents (on matters of regional concern) , or some other person (who may be the Secretary of the Association) who is authorised to do so by the President or Vice Presidents.
All statements made by Members on their own behalf, public or otherwise, which relate to Auctioneering shall be responsible, accurate and not sensational in content and shall have due regard for the interests and good standing of the Association, its rules and Code of Ethics.